A licensed veterinarian shall earn a minimum of 24 contact hours of qualifying continuing education during the 2 year period prior to the first date of license renewal after July 1, 2011. Thereafter, each licensed veterinarian shall complete 24 contact hours every 2 years. One contact hour means a minimum of fifty minutes of continuing education activity.

Qualifying CE

Such continuing education shall be in an area of the licensee's practice and reflect the professional needs of the licensee in order to meet the veterinary health care needs of the public.

Qualifying continuing education activities include, but are not limited to, courses, including on-line courses, offered or approved by national or state veterinary medical organizations, societies or associations, colleges or schools of veterinary medicine and other professional societies and organizations as appropriate to the educational needs of the licensee.

Documentation

Each licensee applying for license renewal will be asked to attest that the licensee satisfies the continuing education requirements.Certificates of completion should not be mailed to the Department at the time of license renewal unless a licensee is specifically directed to do so.

Record Retention

Each licensee shall retain records of attendance that demonstrate compliance with the continuing education requirements, and shall retain such documentation for a minimum of three years following the year in which the continuing education activities were completed.

Upon the request of the Department, a licensee shall submit records or certificates of completion of continuing medical education within forty-five days of such request.A licensee, who fails to comply with the continuing education requirements, including failure to maintain proof of course completion, is subject to disciplinary action.

Approval of Courses

The Department does not approve continuing education courses or pre-approve specific coursework for individual licensees, nor does the Department maintain a list of continuing education courses. It is incumbent on the licensee and the provider to ensure that the CE activity meets the requirements as outlined on this page.

Exemptions

A licensee applying for license renewal for the first time is exempt from the continuing education requirements until the licensee’s next registration period. Registration period means the one-year period for which a license has been renewed.

A licensee who is not engaged in active professional practice in any form or who has a medical disability or illness may be exempt from the continuing education requirements, provided the licensee submits to the Department, prior to the expiration of the registration period, a notarized application for exemption, along with a certification by a licensed physician of the disability or illness.

The Department may grant a waiver or extension for a period not to exceed one registration period, except that the Department may grant additional waivers or extensions if the medical disability or illness upon which a waiver or extension is granted continues beyond the period of the waiver or extension and the licensee applies for an additional waiver or extension.

Registration period means the one-year period for which a license has been renewed.

Reinstatement of a Lapsed License

Any licensee who applies for reinstatement of a lapsed license shall submit documentation of having successfully completed twelve contact hours of continuing education within the one year period immediately preceding application for reinstatement.